A Cyberpunk Shaver

For Artop Group Shenzen↵

A functional shaver prototype developed for Artop Group, combining a soft cyberpunk aesthetic with a design language based on spherical geometries.

The project focused on the development of two new electric shavers for Artop Group. Designed and developed to prototype level by Ate Rote in collaboration with Artop, the two concepts—S-01 and S-02—respond to the client’s request for a cyberpunk-inspired design language. While S-01 is defined by controlled, composed lines and a more structured geometry, S-02 explores a more dynamic and fluid formal expression.

Visual and cultural genealogies of cyberpunk were mapped through text and image analysis to identify niche references and support a distinctive design language. These materials informed both the creative development of the concepts and an installation scenario shaped around the Ate Rote’s Multimedia Lab.

Formal alternatives and 3D geometries were developed without AI, whose visual and geometric quality was still insufficient at the time. The selected configurations then underwent an initial technical development, integrating induction charging bases and an original mechanism that transmits motion to the shaving heads from the rear spherical body, positioned there for both ergonomic and stylistic reasons.

The selected concepts were then formally refined through detailed CMF studies and high-quality rendering. This phase enabled a precise evaluation of proportions, materials, finishes, lighting and surface behaviour, providing a realistic preview of the possible final outcomes.

Once the form had been optimised, a functional 3D-printed prototype was produced and subsequently refined through Artop’s proprietary rapid-prototyping processes. The outer shell was developed to integrate the internal technical prototype, transmission mechanisms and functional shaving components into a coherent assembly. This final stage translated the design language into a physically testable product.

CREDITS

Client: Artop Design Group
Concept and Product Design: Roberto Rota
Engineering and Product Development: Artop Design Group
Prototype Manufacturing: Ate Rote Design Studio
Visual Development and Installation Design: Ate Rote Design Studio